1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to enterprise and supply chain quality management, and more specifically to computer-implemented methods, computer applications and systems for quality management.
2. Background Art
Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as an alternative or supplement to prior art methods and systems for quality information management. Notably, the following characterization of the prior art is not intended to set forth or limit that which the applicants regard as their invention.
Prior art quality management system (“QMS”) packages are not designed to effectively support and integrate enterprise-wide (i.e. multi-site) quality information management. For site level control and management, conventional QMS packages must be loaded on site-specific computing platforms. Users must log into separate programs to view quality documents and information owned and maintained by diverse and/or distributed enterprise locations or sites. In addition, consolidation of information from several locations into an organization report requires duplication of data.
If an organization elects to implement a central (single) QMS, the administration of individual sites, and control of quality documents and information access is governed by a central administration. This reduces the value and efficiency of site autonomy in quality management. In addition, a single QMS arrangement requires that all “sites” utilize the same document levels and nomenclature.
Functionality for defining linkages among quality information is limited. For example, linkages often take users to another location within the QMS, without automatically providing the users with a return path. In addition, conventional linkages are static and can only be defined by an administrator—not the “owner” of the relevant information.
Another drawback associated with conventional quality management systems is their failure to effectively recognize and support entity and business relationship linkages across quality information. Without such linkages, an inefficient multi-level analysis of quality data is required.
Although certain limited functionality supporting quality data analysis and management is available in the market today, its is not integrated. Users are required to enter the same or similar information into several different applications. In addition, having multiple discrete applications to support quality data analysis and management involves porting common information from one application to another. Typically, different applications utilize different or proprietary data formats and thus require inefficient and error-prone data conversion. This inefficiency is compounded each time data is updated.
In the generation of product/process realization quality information, documentation and reports are conventionally developed with limited linkages among the various documents based on entity and business relationship linkage references. In addition, tracking of the quality data and information generated is not integrated with process review activities. Packages that do track quality data and information generated and related to transactional and business processes require unique, separately developed programs.
Furthermore, the comparison of achievement of one or more employees' goals to one or more corresponding goals for one or more business entities within the enterprise is not part of any continual quality improvement system.
Other drawbacks associated with conventional quality management systems include their failure to (i) recognize interrelationships among quality information, (ii) require a specific order and timing of information entry, and/or (iii) support interdependence among quality information within a single QMS function.
Conventional QMS packages do not support linkages among product realization information at the design level for the development and maintenance of linked product or process information. Conventional QMS packages also fail to support linkages among product and process realization information at the design level to the process level for the development and maintenance of linked product or process information. Yet another quality management function not support by conventional QMS packages includes linkages among product and process realization information that are used to identify and display quality information for product and process improvement.
Embodiments of the present invention will serve as an alternative or supplement to prior art QMS methods and systems to effectively eliminate or reduce some or all of the above drawbacks. Those in the art will recognize, however, that no single embodiment of the present invention can eliminate or reduce all drawbacks associated with all conventional QMS methods or systems.